This invention relates to a wheeled construction vehicle, such as backhoes, having at least one material handling implement, and more particularly, to a novel stabilizer assembly for providing lateral stabilization and support of the vehicle during operation of the material handling implement.
Many types of wheeled construction vehicles such as backhoes, power shovels and boom cranes have one or more stabilizer arms, sometimes referred to as outriggers, to provide lateral stabilization and support of the construction vehicle during operation of the material handling implement carried by the vehicle. In backhoes, the stabilizer arms are typically positioned at the rear end of the vehicle, although auxiliary stabilizer arms positioned at the front end of the vehicle to support the loader unit have been found in some instances to be advantageous. Typical of some types of stabilizer arm arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,376,984; 3,951,281, 3,955,695 and 4,026,428.
The stabilizer arm can be powered by various power sources. One type of conventional power source that is often utilized in the construction vehicle industry, is a fluid ram or cylinder power unit, such as a hydraulic cylinder and piston rod assembly. The fluid cylinder power unit serves to move the stabilizer arm from a ground engaging and stabilizing position during operation of the materially handling implement to an upright storage or transport position during movement of the vehicle. If the fluid cylinder accidentally leaks or the fluid pressure otherwise drops significantly, the stabilizer arm in some conventional arrangements has a tendency to drop outwardly of the wheels which can present a hazard for pedestrians and other vehicles.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved stabilizer assembly which substantially overcomes the preceding disadvantages.